940gr Cranks is it worth it to upgrade them?

I guess it would depend on your current bike weight and goal.

If the bike now weighs 26lbs, then it may be worth it because you will now need to watch every gram in order to make a bike lighter. However, if your bike weighs 30lbs, I would start with wheels/tires and anything furthest from the bottom bracket.

IMO, selecting a lighter crankset is icing on the cake and usually the last item I look at for saving weight because it has low CoG.

RaveOn said:

I guess it would depend on your current bike weight and goal.

If the bike now weighs 26lbs, then it may be worth it because you will now need to watch every gram in order to make a bike lighter. However, if your bike weighs 30lbs, I would start with wheels/tires and anything furthest from the bottom bracket.

IMO, selecting a lighter crankset is icing on the cake and usually the last item I look at for saving weight because it has low CoG.

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I JUST bought lightweight wheelset ~1560gr, and I have lightweight tubes and 580gr FireXC tires (not lightest and not heavy but I need grip so its worth it)

The only thing left I can upgrade are my cranks, headset, handlebars (going MkyLite possibly today), and shifters/FD which are basic Deore.

Maybe I should ax my shifters and FD?

RockadileSX said:

I have the FireX 3.3 Team found here for $99. (Dang these are cheap!)

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/15...lts/Truvativ-Firex-3.3-Team-Crankset-2008.htm

They weigh 940gr. I like the cranks and the reviews all say they are very stiff but Im trying to reduce some weight.

XTR is 800gr but only 140 grams less?
Race Face Deus X is 830gr, only 110 grams less.

I have no issues with the performance of these cranks they are stiff and no creaks or issues, but I really want to drop weight.

I know numbers can lie so will changing the cranks make my bike more noticably lighter than the numbers suggest? I know they will be stiffer, this is just about weight.

Thanks

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Replacing your cranks, which work fine, at the tune of whatever those new cranks cost is, IMO kind of silly. Look at it from a $/gram perspective. A new xtr is what, $500? That's around $3.50 to save one gram? Silly if you ask me.

Go over the weight weinie board, and you will find suggestions for far more cost effective weight savings.

kapusta said:

Replacing your cranks, which work fine, at the tune of whatever those new cranks cost is, IMO kind of silly. Look at it from a $/gram perspective. A new xtr is what, $500? That's around $3.50 to save one gram? Silly if you ask me.

Go over the weight weinie board, and you will find suggestions for far more cost effective weight savings.

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Ok thanks this is kinda what I was thinking although I would never get XTR, I was thinking the Race Face Deus cause its only slightly heavier than the XTR and under $200.

RockadileSX said:

and 580gr FireXC tires (not lightest and not heavy but I need grip so its worth it)

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I just went from several years using the FireXC Pro (127tpi) to the Conti 2.2 RK / SS and they are a huge improvement in terms of traction/grip/handling. No more front end washing out!! I'm still working with their reliability (since its a "race day" type tire), but I need a wider rim. However, they are amazing and mine were 473g (my used FXC were 582g).

RaveOn said:

I just went from several years using the FireXC Pro (127tpi) to the Conti 2.2 RK / SS and they are a huge improvement in terms of traction/grip/handling. No more front end washing out!! I'm still working with their reliability (since its a "race day" type tire), but I need a wider rim. However, they are amazing and mine were 473g (my used FXC were 582g).

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Huh, I found the climbing and straight line grip of the RK 2.2 to be pretty good and the traction on wet rocks and rocks to be the best I have yet tried (simply amazing). They also roll stupid fast.

However, I found the cornering grip on anything but clean hardpackto be awful. I can get by with one on the rear if I don't push it too hard, but no way on the front. I think the the Fire xc, while not the greatest in the cornering dept, are well ahead of the RK in that regard.

To the OP, the Fire XC was a top tire on its day, but there are other alternatives of similar weight and better rolling resistance out there now.

RaveOn said:

I just went from several years using the FireXC Pro (127tpi) to the Conti 2.2 RK / SS and they are a huge improvement in terms of traction/grip/handling. No more front end washing out!! I'm still working with their reliability (since its a "race day" type tire), but I need a wider rim. However, they are amazing and mine were 473g (my used FXC were 582g).

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So I noticed the front end seems to want to wash out more than usual, I was attributing that to the fact they were new, but maybe there is more to it. I LOVED the nevegal up front, but its a heavy tire.

RockadileSX said:

So I noticed the front end seems to want to wash out more than usual, I was attributing that to the fact they were new, but maybe there is more to it

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While it does depend the terrain, that is what was happening with my old trusty FXCP. I put up with them because they last a long time and I take a beating. My lap times are much faster now because I can hammer in turns and float over sandy sections.

However, not everything is rosy...